Readers sound off - women in combat

LAST week's column, "Until women can match men's prowess they should not be Marines," provoked some finger-wagging outrage at the gym, but the readers who wrote in mostly agreed with my sentiments.

It's OK! Although equal, men and women are different. Honestly, can we at least get a consensus on that?

In hopes of continuing the conversation, here's what some readers had to say:

I take great issue with your subheadline - "Until women can match men's prowess they should not be Marines."

It would have been correct if the last two words had been "combat Marines."

It would be appreciated if you published a correction to this error.

Women have served in the USMC since 1940, embodying the same level of dedication, honor and devotion to duty as their male counterparts. In my 12 years as a Marine, I never met one female Marine that I did not believe was a credit to the corps.

Other than this serious error, I am in complete agreement and support the information in your well-written column.

It's not the Marine Corps, much less the female Marines, who are pushing for combat roles - it's the pinheads in Washington who want females in the military to have equal opportunity in every aspect of military service.

- Sgt. Ray Wittkop, USMC

First, I'd like to say to you, "Well put," with your article on female combat in the Marines. I am a married black man who just cannot understand the whole mentality of "If you can do it, I can do it, too."

Political correctness is blinding the entire nation from commonsense thinking. Men and women are indeed different in many, if not most, ways. Why is it so hard for society to understand that regardless of how well women fight in combat roles, they will not be able to stop the male Marine from acting on instinct in trying to protect the female Marine.

Society wants us to throw away what makes us men and women throughout our evolution and wants us to become the same. This blurred line is confusing our children, and instead of teaching them that it is OK to be different, we are filling their minds with the fantasy notion that we are all the same. This is dangerous and irresponsible.

- Gervan

A great article with realistic honesty. My respect for your honesty is appreciated. As a former Marine and the grandfather of two serving Marines, I would not want them in harm's way due to political correctness. Women do, in fact, have a role to play in any conflict, but as a former grunt I can attest that it is not in a U.S. Marine Corps infantry outfit.

- Robert J. Mills